'Off Island' - pt 1

  I had a few hours 'spare' this morning (17th April) so decided to take a look at the blog and do an update. Checking the date I discovered that I've now been away from home for 3 weeks and what a busy three weeks it has been.

  We left home on the 28th March, drove to Lerwick and caught the Northlink boat to Aberdeen which left at 7pm. Thankfully the crossing was pretty calm, so no ill children (or adults) and the ferry docked on time at 7am. By 7.15 we were on our way for our first stopover at Liverpool where we would be for two nights with friends. It was a fairly good journey - apart from half an hour driving through a blizzard between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

  We were told that the Moscow State Circus was in town , so as it was only 20 mins walk from the house we decided to go to a matinee performance the following day. It has been over 40 years since I last went to one (Roberts Bros' in Bournemouth - complete with lions etc) so I was quite looking forward to the show. We weren't disappointed, the show was a great success and well worth the ticket price. There wasn't a highlight in particular - it was all equally as good. Taking photographs was permitted - not with flash (pointless given the distance and also the flash could distract the performers) but video was not allowed. There were one or two folk however that tried to either video or use flash, they were soon spotted and were told in no uncertain terms by a rather stern looking Russian woman to stop. Below is just one image taken using a very high ISO but it still wasn't enough to freeze the fastest of action...........

Moscow State Circus

  On Easter Sunday (31st March) we headed south on the M6 for our next 'port of call', Lyndhurst in the New Forest. Despite the fact it was a holiday weekend, the motorway south was very quiet (not for those going north however, as there was a long queue south of the Blackpool junction). Salisbury, which is normally a bottleneck at the weekend, was quiet and we went through in just a few minutes. On this occasion, we were staying in a very pleasant b&b just outside of Lyndhurst instead of with Ian and Elspeth. Over the next few days, we had a pleasant - but blustery - walk in the forest, a trip to the New Forest Wildlife Park - which is always a hit with all of us, more of that later, we also went to Marwell Zoo which has so much there one day doesn't do it justice.

  Back to the New Forest Wildlife Park (formerly called the New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Park - a bit of a mouthful). Since my last visit it has changed quite a bit, both in the layout and the introduction of new species. Many of the animals and birds are European and are too many to list here, so if you are interested click the link above. My favourites by far, (and for obvious reasons) have to be the otters. They have four species there - European, American River, Giant and Asian Short Clawed - all of which can be seen at very close quarters and are great to watch - especially under water through the glass sided pools. The girls and I spent ages watching the European Otter swimming in the glass sided indoor pool. If the sky behind us had been clearer taking pictures would have been easier as the grey sky caused a lot of reflections. One way around this would have been to hold up a coat behind us but I don't think other folk would have been too pleased :)

 Giant Otter

Red Fox

  The following day  we all headed off to Marwell Zoo. As I said earlier, there was an awful lot to see, so we split up and so Sula and I headed off together. Sula particularly wanted to spend some time at the Amur Leopard enclosure; so, despite the chilly wind we waited for half an hour for its feeding time. I did feel sad for such a beautiful creature being held in a large 'cage' and however controversial it maybe, they do serve a purpose whether its for education, breeding or for the survival of the species. I do like hearing some of the comments from onlookers however and on this occasion it was regarding the animal not showing earlier on before feeding time. Bearing in mind some of these animals live in the mountains of NE China, a comment from one onlooker on not seeing one outside in the enclosure was 'because it was too cold'  probably wasn't quite true. From there, we headed off for a bite to eat - we thought maybe a burger would fill the hole - but didn't ask if there was any horse meat in it ;) The price however did take me by surprise, £9.50 for a burger and hot-dog; as I like to say 'at least Dick Turpin wore a mask !

  We then slowly meandered around the park and ended up over at the Asian Short Clawed Otter enclosure - half an hour before feeding time. The antics of this species are always worth watching as they are very sociable  and call often. It was here that Sula and I heard another innocent comment that did make us chuckle. We were standing next to a young couple, when one of them said 'do they lay eggs?' The comment did sound a bit ridiculous, but in their defense, maybe they thought they were related to a Duck-billed Platypus ? Comments like this reminds me of many years ago when we lived in Malawi for a year. We were staying in Mvuu reserve and I'd gone on an evening game drive with a group of visitors. The vehicle came to a halt as there was a Hippo lying on the sandy track in front of us. The guide then told us about Hippos and why they come out of the water to do this etc etc. When he asked us if we had any questions, a lady sitting next to me,  asked in a very serious voice 'do they climb trees?' I remember thinking, 'Gosh I hope not, think of the hole in the ground when they jump out'!

Asian Short-clawed Otters - always good 'value'

  Back in the New Forest later, we headed out for a lovely meal in the pub at Bank. On the bar was a very large glass jar about 14" high and 6" across (like an old sweet jar). It was filled with hundreds of very small coloured chocolate eggs and, if you paid a £1, you got to guess the number and if you won, you got the jar of mini eggs - we paid £5 and all had a guess. My method was to do it like when counting a flock of birds, count say 50 and then estimate how many 50s there may be. A few days later, you could have knocked me down with a feather when I got a call from the pub to say I had guessed the number exactly - 777 - I don't get lucky that often.

  After 4 nights in the Forest, we headed north again to the Cotswolds. We were to stay at some friends who live near Hailes Abbey. The day between the two nights (if you see what I mean) was going to be the day I'd been dreading for the trip - a visit to Warner Bros' studio nr Watford to 'Harry Potter World'. For the last 6 months, all I've seen and heard from the kids (except when they were at school that is) has been Harry Potter!

  We left in plenty of time at 6.15am for our 9.30 tour slot - and arrived an hour before it opened at around 7.45 due to not much traffic. Even though I really didn't want to go, I will have to go on record to admit to enjoying it. Not I hasten to add 'Harry Potter' (the film could have been Mary Poppins or Tele Tubbies!) but because of the work that went in to the sets, costumes and props etc. The mechanical and electrical creations were quite mind-boggling at times and something I'll happily remember for a long time. For most of it, photography was allowed - and although videoing wasn't encouraged, I did see numerous people doing it. What I did notice - and a sight not seen too much on the 'Island Above All Others' ie Unst, was a lot of folk wandering around with Ipads held up in front of them either taking pictures or videoing. I just wonder if they only got to see HP World when they got home and not when they were there...........

  

  As I've not seen much of the HP films, most of the sets were a mystery to me. However, as I said, some of the techi' stuff was amazing and this 'door' below is the one I'll remember. Each part moved in one way or another to unlock the door, just the time that must have been spent on this alone must have amassed weeks - if not months - of work......

 ....and a crop....

  I was going to go to the trouble of cloning out the lights but time wasn't on my side (it give's an idea of the size when you look at the people in the bottom right hand corner).

  The following day we were on the move again, this time just a few miles east to Longborough and Moreton where my sisters live - which was also where I grew up (although some might disagree with the 'growing up' bit)

      Robbie

This latest post is partly an 'add on' from the last post and partly new post.

  The day after my walk up to Hermaness, we still had a covering of snow which, with the sun now shining on it, looked quite picturesque.  Virtually every morning during the winter period, when I look out of the bedroom window, there are always a number of Rock Doves waiting for me to put food out - and when there is snow there are usually even more; on this day there were over fifty. Usually as soon as I walk back from the feeder (which is for the sparrows and starlings), the doves take this as the signal that there is grain on the lawn and will then take off, circle once and land. I know I've said this before, but I really like the fact these are truly wild doves, not the 'winged rats' as some folk call the urban ones..........

Rock Dove

Hoodie Crow

   A few days later (18th) I went up to Skaw for a short walk. I'd been at home all weekend working stripping paint with a gas torch and wanted to get it 'out of my system' so to speak. I wasn't intending to be there long as I was very busy at home, so I walked down to the shore with just my bins' and no camera. I'd just reached the high tide mark, when I heard the alarm calls of several gulls coming from behind me to the north. Turning around, I saw the avian equivalent of a hang glider coming down the hill towards me - the Sea Eagle was back again ! Despite the fact I was feeling pretty ropey with a really bad cough and short of breath, I ran back to the car for the camera. Thankfully I'd got it set up on the seat and also the bird continued in my direction and came over very close to the car.

  I watched the bird soaring around for at least 15 minutes as it went back and forth around Skaw being continuously mobbed by gulls. Eventually the bird drifted south east over the hill towards Lamba Ness. With me following in the car, it drifted over Norwick and the hill of Clibberswick and along towards 'Saxavord Resort'. At times like these, it's often difficult to decide whether to follow, or just sit and watch and hope it comes back. I decided to follow because if I could get on to the other side of the valley, the sun would be behind me and it would also be (hopefully) at eye level. It was a bad decision, the bird soared around the valley and then right back past the spot where I'd just been parked - heyho. In all, I reckon I watched this magnificent bird for at least half an hour over north Unst  ................

 

   This is the same ringed Norwegian bird that has been around since late December. For more info on this bird take a look at Brydon's Shetland Nature webpage here and of another sighting some years ago here on Nature in Shetland.

  The following day I was off island but returned to Skaw at 9.30am on the 20th. I hadn't even got out of my drivers seat when I heard the tell-tale mobbing calls of large gulls and there it was again, several hundred feet up above me being mobbed by Black-backs'. This time the bird seemed to be on a mission as it was soaring up and up and eventually I could only just make it out with the naked eye. I watched it for over ten minutes and until finally it headed south in a long glide and out of sight. I'm not too good at estimating altitude, but comparing the size of the bird say to the distance to the end of Skaw, it must have been up several thousand feet.

  On the way back, I also did get a lovely view of one of our commoner waders - a Common Snipe - at Lamba Ness...

Common Snipe

  Also on the way home passing through Haroldswick, I had a very close view of a Grey Heron at Haroldswick Pools. Normally at any sign of anyone paying any attention to them, they are off like a shot before the vehicle has stopped. This one however, stood there for several minutes before flying to the other side of the pool......

...too close for the 500mm

  While most of the country has been either very cold, has had lots of snow, or both, Unst has had a few days of windless sunny weather. This picture below was from Skaw on Tuesday (26th). It was a beautiful windless day and I was the only one there :)

    Robbie

It's been a long time....

  I can't believe it's been a month since my last blog post, sorry about that.

  I'll make this post a fairly short one - mainly because I've been very busy at home and haven't been out and about too much .....aaahh, poor me :)

  So what has happened during the last month ? While Catriona was away in Tonga, the girls had a couple of days off school (short holiday) so we headed to Lerwick for the day. This was partly to get some building materials but also to go and have a second look for the Pine Grosbeak that had been at Collafirth for quite a while. PGs are a rare visitor to Britain with only just over a dozen records. Due to its rarity status, this bird drew twitchers from far and wide, many flying up just for the weekend - some costs I saw were around £600 - it would be cheaper to go to northern Europe to see one. My first attempt to look for it failed due to it going in to hiding just half an hour before I got there and despite spending several hours searching, it remained elusive. Thankfully, the second attempt was more successful and the girls and I saw it for a few minutes (although quite high in the conifers) before it flew off. Other folk, on other occasions, were much luckier than us, getting very close views in bright sunshine, whereas we had a dull overcast day, hey ho suppose it was only a bird.....

 Pine Grosbeak

  At the end of February, I was outside doing some wall repairs when I heard a number of Hoodies mobbing something just to the east of the house. Thinking it might be the Sea Eagle (it had been seen again down on Mainland) I grabbed the bins and searched the sky to the east. I soon found the source of the noise, three Hoodies mobbing a buzzard quite high up. I first assumed it was a Rough-leg' (I've seen more of them than Common Buzzards here - come to think about it, I'd only seen one Common B) but later on enlarging the image on the pc, I saw it was indeed and Common Buzzard - 116 for the garden list.......

Common Buzzard and Hooded Crow

  The 2nd March was the second of the Unst Up Helly Ah's and this was up at Norwick. Thankfully the weather for this one was almost perfect, not much wind, no rain and not too cold. The procession started with the squads coming down the hillside by way of the 'broken road' (the old, now closed road to Skaw). It's always a lovely sight with the flaming torches lighting up the hillside and foreshore, but not an easy one to photograph without using a ridiculously high ISO setting on the camera which then introduces too much digital noise to the pictures. Below are a few pics from the event....

  Weather wise, the last month has been pretty variable. As usual its been a mixture of the occasional nice still day (6 or 8 degrees, coat off weather), wet and wild days and also a few cold days. At the beginning of this last week, we had a few snow flurries and had a forecast of a covering of snow for Wednesday. Waking early on Wednesday morning around 5.45am, I looked out and saw the hills to the west were white. Even though I was due to go to work later, I decided to head for Hermaness. By 7.45am I was at the end of the boardwalk at the cliffs - what a great place in winter! There wasn't too much wind, the light wasn't bad and out at sea were quite a few snow showers moving through. My first encounter was with one of the number of feral cats that occur up there and I don't know who was more surprised me or it......

 

  I also came a cross a small flock of Skylarks that were trying to find food on the snow covered clifftop - quite often in the places where the sheep had been lying during the night............

  Along at the nesting cliffs, there were quite a few Gannets but by far the greater number were either sitting down on the water or soaring around and around offshore like a giant gannet 'tornado'.......

  These are views of Hermaness that most visitors to the reserve never get to see, it's a truly magical place at any time of the year - even more so with a covering of snow in late winter....

Looking north

   Looking back south to where the previous picture was taken (marked with a red 'v')

  To finish off, a couple of pictures of Burrafirth (which is on the way to Hermaness car park) taken a few days apart.........

 

      Robbie

  It's been another couple of quiet weeks on the wildlife front - the time of year has a bit to do with that though. I've started some repairs in the house which has involved sorting out materials I need and also sourcing a supplier from down south for one item in particular. I find it very hard to understand in this age of internet use where you can Google an item and dozens of choices come up, that folk often don't reply to a query or a request for delivery charges to the isles. After the other week when a small air-line union (about the size of my thumb) came in a box that was the equivalent of two shoe boxes in size - and cost £7 delivery; I didn't think it would be 'bettered' - how wrong I was. In early January I ordered some things online and after over three weeks of waiting, a phone call and an email later, the item arrived. It was a 3 meter long piece of plastic draught strip that could have been rolled up and put in a large jiffy bag; instead however, it was sent in a 3 meter x 100mm cardboard tube !

  Catriona is away at the moment, literally on the other side of the world in Tonga. I took her to Sumburgh  a week last Friday and she arrived there on the Monday - 4 changes of flight later (Glasgow, Bahrain, Brisbane, Aukland then on to Tonga - phew)

  One event recently which received quite a lot of local interest here on the island, was the moving of the Viking replica boat the Skidbladner at Brook Point near Haroldswick. There were quite a few folk that disagreed with the decision made by 'Viking Unst' (based in Lerwick !) to move it anyway. One reason was that where it had been located, it was protected from any storms by an area of rocks which helped 'soak up' the waves when there was a strong north easterly wind. Whereas at the new position a short distance away, during a storm, the sea would wash over on to the area where the boat was to be sited - time will tell. On the day (1st Feb - a rescheduled date), the road was to be closed between midday and 2pm to allow the crane to park on the road and lift the boat. However, this dragged out until 3.40pm or so and watching the proceedings from a short distance away, I reckon it was due to bad planning or maybe 'the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing'.......

 

 In my opinion (and having almost 4o years as a carpenter/joiner) there were too many folk in fluorescent jackets who weren't doing anything but seemed to be there to 'boost' the numbers. Like one local said to me, 'all the hard hats and green jackets in the world, aren't going help much if those lifting strops break' !


  One thing that I get great satisfaction from when I'm working out in the shed is that I have the window that looks north out over Baltasound. In the last few months I've added several species to the 'garden list'  because of it and I'm lucky on a regular basis to watch otters feeding offshore as I do various jobs at my workbench. Over the last 12 months I've lost count how many sightings I've had, but each one is just like seeing an otter for the first time, magical. I deliberately don't try and photograph them as I don't want them to get disturbed (however unintentional it maybe) and become nervous of using the shoreline below our house. This male below however, showed up one day when I was down there doing some fencing repairs after a recent storm.

  Over the last couple of weeks, we've had a bit of a mixture of weather. From the odd clear still day, to wild windy days of gales and one or two cold frosty days. Early in the month, there was an enormous westerly swell coming in to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. We didn't get the swell that many areas had - the Outer Hebs' had 20 metres of swell on one day, Fair Isle had around 17 metres ( look here). Looking at Magicseaweed on that occasion, the north west corner of the UK, had the highest swell in the world depicted by a large area of black on the webpage. Down at Westing it was protected by most of the swell but it was still pretty wild the day after (on the day, it was too windy and too much salt spray to take many pictures) ........

The island is not that small either

 Last Friday (15th Feb) was the first of the two Up Helly Aa's that are held up here on Unst during February and the beginning of March. We went down for the first one in Uyeasound on what appeared to be a perfect evening - not much wind, dry and a fairly clear sky; unfortunately just before the procession started, it began to rain. I started to sort the camera out at the back of the car in a litle bit of shelter from the westerly driven rain storm. Gear set up, I shut the door and put the camera and tripod on to my shoulder and turned to walk off along the road. However, I noticed something felt loose on the tripod/camera and lifted it off of my shoulder to check what it was. Then, almost in slow mo', I felt my camera go flying through the air, saw it drop on to the road and bounce on the road several times. ******** ! Lets just say the air had a few 'ripe' words wafting around. Some friends who were with me, quickly picked up the bits off the road (two battery packs and the battery grip flap) and I found the camera. To cut a long and anxious story short, I don't know how (maybe someone up there was looking down and had pity on me) but both the camera and lens were unmarked - after a drop of at least 5 or 6 feet. The battery grip was a different matter, it had taken the full force of the drop and had cracked/broken the casing in several different places and is basically a write-off. It was lucky really in that to replace the grip is approximately £130 whereas the camera and lens would be getting on for £2000. 

  After this event, I wasn't that bothered about Up Helly Aa anymore, all I wanted to do now was to get  home and check out the damage. I did stay and take a few pictures (the camera seamed to working ok) but I couldn't really concentrate, what with the pouring rain as well. Here are a few from the evening and one of the boat they would later burn, taken in the afternoon..........

 

 

 Uyeasound Up Helly Aa 2013

  The various measures for council cutbacks and savings carry on, the inter-island ferries being one area for belt tightening. The charges for the 'Bluemull triangle' will be re-introduced and also a few less ferries will run - it could have been a lot worse. The fares on Yell Sound will also go up. 

  Another cut back is the council run community skip scheme; Unst has two at the moment, but from April (I think) they will go. The problem then will be (maybe not so much on the isles) - there will possibly be a lot of rubbish dumped on the roadsides. The council have said they would charge around £30 for collection of old fridges and the like, I don't think that is going to happen, some people will just leave it in a lay-by. Then, when there is rubbish starting to build up, the council will probably employ someone in a small lorry go around and clear it all up. From a personal point of view, the skips weren't just good for putting the stuff you no longer needed, they were a great source of perfectly good things as well. In the past I've come across perfectly good bike wheels complete with new tyres and inner tubes and all sorts of metal work that have been put to other use. It was well known if someone had stuff that was too good to be skipped, then they'd leave it at the side for anyone to take. They will be greatly missed for both reasons by many folk.

  Over the last few days of relatively settled weather, the number of Shalders (oystercatchers) have started to increase as they return for the Spring. Over the weekend I was working outside and even got the coat off as it was so mild (well relatively, it was only 6 degrees but felt warmer). All around Baltasaound I could hear Shalders calling and displaying and also Curlew. Last evening I could here a Blackbird singing along the shoreline somewhere and on my Trailcam last night I caught a Hedgehog ambling past. It's now light until way after 5, the period of springtime may not be far away, but proper spring for Unst is still some way off I think.

       Robbie